Not One For The Ages, But Chad Dawson Comes Out Looking Good

— When the first score was announced, the immediate thought was that the 7,705 fans jammed inside old Boardwalk Hall were extras on the set of "Boardwalk Empire."

At that moment, there were only two questions: "Where's Nucky Thompson sitting?" And, "How did this fix go down?"

Yes, it's HBO. But, no, fortunately for Chad Dawson there was no Nucky late Saturday night. There was Jim Lampley. There was the WBC light heavyweight championship. And there was judge Luis Rivera, inexplicably having it Bernard Hopkins 114, Dawson 114.

Really, Luis? What a joke.

"I thought we were going to get robbed," Dawson's trainer John Scully said. "I don't want to name names, but a very influential person in boxing two days ago told me, 'I don't like the fact that guy is scoring the fight.' He told me [Rivera] was questionable. As soon as they said 114-114, all I could think about was what that guy told me in the hotel lobby."

Said Dawson's promoter, Gary Shaw: "To Luis Rivera, the judge that had it even, you'll never do another of my fights again if I can help it. One of the things that hurts our sport is people have eyes."

And fortunately for Dawson, so did the other two judges. Richard Flaherty and Steve Weisfeld both scored it 117-111 for a Dawson majority decision. That's nine rounds to three and just about perfect. If anything, the lefthander from New Haven may have won 10 rounds [118-110].

"What was I thinking [after the 114-114 announcement]?" Hopkins said. "I was thinking I can't get out of this guys's life and he can't get out of mine. Now we've got to talk bad about each other for another six months. To be honest with you I thought the fight — worse-case scenario — was maybe a draw."

In the tense moments before the decision, Hopkins was bold. He leaned over the ropes and yelled, "Look at my face." It didn't have cuts over both eyes the way Dawson's did. And in the rambunctious moments after the decision, Hopkins was predictably defiant.

"What did he do to win that fight?" Hopkins said. "They [the judges] did what they wanted to do. The only way I knew I could win that fight was if I knocked him out."

Dawson, for his part, kept it simple. He said he did what he came to do, yet he hit on accusations he would not repeat in a formal press conference that became a bit of a love-in.

"He's a helluva fighter," Dawson said, "but he is a dirty fighter."

This was not a classic. Hopkins fights rarely are beautiful. Dawson is not a KO artist.

Dawson had a nasty gash opened over his left eye on what was ruled an accidental fourth-round head butt. Shaw said he counted at least eight major punches to Dawson's hip below the belt. With all the feigning, wrestling, head-butting and clinching, you could sense the frustration mounting. Dawson twice started to pick up Hopkins, but he didn't do what brought everybody to Atlantic City in the first place. He didn't pick up Hopkins and threw him down like he did in Los Angeles in October, eventually causing a no-decision and this rematch.

At one point, more in desperation, Hopkins made like he was an Eagles cornerback and tackled Dawson. Another time, when Dawson pushed him at the end of the round, Hopkins went flying toward the ropes, acting as if he may end up in the Atlantic Ocean. Hopkins did some preening, sticking out his tongue. He was doing his best to get into Dawson's head. There were times he looked to be succeeding, but Dawson (31-1) kept his composure.

That's a big reason he is champion of the world today.

"That's to Chad's credit," Scully said. "After the head butt happened, he was shaking his head. I could see the look on his face. I said, 'This is where my job is important.'

"I told him, 'You're on the ledge. Don't jump off. Once you do, it's hard to climb back from that frustration level. I said, 'Listen, the difference between being a champion and a regular guy, they go crazy and jump off. I said if you keep your composure, you win. He proved to me he could keep his focus. He's a champion."

Another reason, Scully said, was the decision after the third round to stop boxing from the perimeter. Sure, Dawson is younger and faster, but …

"Hopkins is a master," Scully said. "He is slick as oil. He gets hit, but he doesn't get clean. The biggest fear we had all camp was not letting him mesmerize us. I always have Chad box. His boxing skills are supreme. But after about the third round, which I think Hopkins might have stolen with a late meaningless flurry, I realized the judges could justifiably give these rounds to either fighter."

Scully wanted to make it clear. He wanted to make Hopkins, at 47, work. He didn't think Hopkins respected Chad enough otherwise. Although Dawson, 29, said he never saw Hopkins tire even once, Dawson began landing punches with more authority.